July 7
For a New Day
Lord, the newness of this day
Calls me to an untried way;
Let me gladly take the road,
Give me strength to bear my load.
Thou my guide and helper be —
I will travel through with Thee.
Amen.
by Henry Van Dkye
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Repentance
Almighty God, who does freely pardon all who repent and turn to Him, now fulfill in every contrite heart the promise of redeeming grace; forgiving all our sins, and cleansing us from an evil conscience; through the perfect sacrifice of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
The Book of Common Worship, 1946 (Presbyterian)
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For Each of Us in Our Work
Almighty God, heavenly Father, who makes it possible for me to work and who gives every creature its food, declaring your glory and showing your handiwork in the heavens and in the earth; Deliver me, I pray, in my work, from coveting material goods, from falling into the temptation of serving mammon and putting money in the forefront of my life. Help me to perform the work which you have put at my hand, in truth, in beauty, and in righteousness, with singleness of heart as your servant, and to the benefit of my fellow men as well as myself; for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lived and died only to serve us. Amen.
Meditation
[Coveting the things of this world.]
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I dedicate this day to you, mighty God. I pray that your Spirit will lift me up this day, and that your face may shine upon me all the day long, that I might do your will and lead a new life in Christ, reborn in the Spirit. Amen.
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Dear Lord, You are willing to accept me just as I am, warts and all -- my hurts, my guilt, and my sins. You love me just as I am, but You don't want me to stay that way! ... When I sincerely confess my sins, help me to accept Your forgiveness, believing it, and forgiving myself. Repenting means to reverse my direction, doesn't it? Help me to want to become Your "new creation," letting Your desires become my desires, and realizing that You want only the best for me. Keep me ever in Your care, and help me to grow in my faith.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
© 2000 by D. L. Hammond, Permission to copy granted for noncommercial use.
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Gracious Father of us all, if I may have cause to be provoked today, help me to rise above my angry passions, and not from weakness plunge into that for which I may be sorry. Make me self-forgetful, that I may be willing to make peace with those whom I may have displeased. Amen.
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For all that we should have thought and have not thought;
For all that we should have said and have not said;
For all that we should have done, and have not done;
we ask forgiveness, Lord.
For all that we should not have thought but have thought;
For all that we should not have said but have said;
For all that we should not have done, but have done;
we ask forgiveness, Lord.
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Dear Father, thank you for the love and forgiveness that You show us daily. Lord, help us to overcome any sin that the enemy tempts us to engage in. Lord, forgive us for the times we fail You. We also forgive those who have hurt us and sinned against us. May they come to repentance so that they might know Your forgiving love too. We all need Your love and mercy. Lord Jesus, be merciful to our family and our friends. Watch over our children and our grandchildren and keep them from harm. Guide us daily in the right path so that we do not stray from the straight and narrow. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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The Flesh Versus the Spirit
Galatians 5:16-18
Dear Father, giver of your Spirit,
Help me to walk by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of my flesh. For the desires of my flesh are opposed to the desires of my spirit and to the desires of your Spirit for me. These things set up an opposition within me to keep me from doing what I want. But thank you for letting me know that if I live by the Spirit I do something different than just live by the rules of the law, that in fact I am not under law.
In the name of Jesus I ask you to perfect us, whatever that may take, and give us the grace to endure your renovation process. Amen.